1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an outer conductor terminal, and specifically relates to an outer conductor terminal preferably used for a coaxial wire which transmits a high-frequency electric signal.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, for a wiring member which transmits an electric signal from electric equipment and the like incorporated into an automobile, a coaxial connector in which a terminal is attached to an end of a coaxial wire is generally used because it is resistant to an influence of a noise and capable of transmitting a high-frequency electric signal.
As shown in FIG. 12, a coaxial wire 72 includes an inner conductor 78 which transmits an electric signal, a braid 82 as an outer conductor which is provided around the inner conductor 78 in order to shield the inner conductor 78 from an extraneous noise, insulation 80 which is interposed between the inner conductor 78 and the braid 82 to electrically insulate them, and a sheath 84 which covers the braid 82. At an end of the coaxial wire 72, an inner conductor terminal 74 is connected to the inner conductor 78, and an outer conductor terminal 76 is connected to the braid 82, thereby constituting a coaxial connector 70.
The outer conductor terminal 76, having crimping pieces for solderless connection with the coaxial wire 72, is connected to the coaxial wire 72 by crimping the crimping pieces onto the sheath 84 and the braid 82 (see Japanese Patent Application Unexamined Publication No. 2003-173850). To be specific, crimping pieces 86a and 86b are crimped onto the braid 82, and crimping pieces 88a and 88b are crimped onto the sheath 84.
However, the crimping pieces 86a and 86b are not firmly crimped onto the braid 82 because the purpose of crimping is to obtain electrical connection between the braid 82 of the coaxial wire 72 and the outer conductor terminal 76, and it is preferable not to change a coaxial structure of the coaxial wire 72 as much as possible. In addition, in the coaxial wire 72, the sheath 84 is prone to slide on the braid 82, so that a deviation between the sheath 84 and the braid 82 tends to occur.
Therefore, when tensile force is developed on the coaxial wire 72, there is a possibility that tensile force is exerted on the braid 82 inside the sheath 84, pulling the braid 82 out of the crimping pieces 86a and 86b, even though the sheath 84 is fixed by the crimping pieces 88a and 88b. In addition, when tensile force is exerted also on the insulation 80 and the inner conductor 78 inside the braid 82, there is a possibility that the inner conductor 78 is pulled out of the inner conductor terminal 74. Consequently, there is a problem that locking force is insufficient with a lock structure of the coaxial wire 72 with the crimping pieces 88a and 88b at the sheath 84 section.